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Yorkie Times    
Newsletter for Yorkie Rescue
                                                                                  
                                                                                                                  August 2017                            

"Adopt. If you can't adopt, foster. If you can't foster, sponsor. 
If you can't sponsor, donate. If you can't donate, educate."



In This Issue
YTNR's 20th Anniversary Celebration
Article Headline
Happy Endings
In Loving Memory
Looking for a Furever Home
Donor Recognition
We would Love your support!
Miss Penny Pockets
Q & A on Immunizations
Athena Maria
Sunny days are here again by Hannelie Vermeulen
Neeko's Joke
Many Thanks to Lifeline4Paws...
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links
YTNR's 20th Anniversary Celebration 
2017  Family and Friends Weekend ~  September 7 - September  10  
Come join us in Nashville! 

Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue is going to have 
its 20th Annual Family and Friends Weekend of Fun 
Date: 09-07-17 to 09-10-17  
Location: Sheraton Music City Hotel, 
Nashville, Tennessee 

This beautiful watercolor was designed and given to YTNR to 
honor and celebrate our 20th Anniversary,  by artist and friend, Walter Colton.  







Come Join us for a delightful weekend of fun. It is our 20th Anniversary!!!


 


 
Holding Patti Kushnir in our thoughts and prayers
We are so very sorry to let you all know that  our dear friend, Patti, Secretary of YTNR, lost her loving husband, Richard, on July 31st.

Please hold Patti and her family in your thoughts and prayers at this extremely difficult time.

 
He was 76, loved his dogs, loved to go out to eat.
Always had a good word for everyone and great sense of humor.


Dear Patti,

May God's light bless you when the darkness of grief is overwhelming. May God's presence comfort you when you're missing Richard, and may God's love remind you that you are never alone. Amen.

Love and Blessings,
Your YTNR family ♥




Happy Endings
Co Co has been adopted to a great family! She will be a little princess in her new dad's eyes.  The whole family fell in love with her but her dad could not contain his happiness over seeing her in person for the first time ♥


************************


Beautiful Trixie with her new family


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Little Miss Sunshine is a YTNR adoptee, who lives a pampered life with her mommy, daddy and doggie sister in Washington state.  This is her after a spa day. 


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Khloe with her new Mom ♥
Khloe's first night
Hello Shannon, 
Chloe and I had a wonderful night sleep. She slept right next to me and did not move a muscle all night. She is so so sweet and precious. I just love her to bits  ❤️❤️❤️❤️!  She follows me everywhere.  We also met neighbors this morning.  She was a little timid, but that's ok.  Everything is so new to her.  We're just chilling out in the lanai (picture below) .  I am really blessed to have her as my lifetime companion.  She is everything I was hoping for. 
Susie 

************************

"Thank you for all you do. I adopted Susie (who was fostered in suburban Chicago) in March and she is an absolute love..... 
a valued member of our family. :)
Susie  received a darling little fleece blanket (that she sleeps with every night), a nice letter from "Ellie" (a fellow YTNR adoptee) and an invite to the Smoky Awards. Thank you.
Susie wanted me to thank whoever made and mailed her the sweet blanket, so please pass this on if needed.
Sincerely,
Sherry Oberlin"




Thank you for opening your hearts and homes for 
these precious rescues and for making their dreams come true!


 
In Loving Memory
Hello, 

I am writing to share with you the passing of one of your Yorkies.  We adopted Gizmo in January of 2003.  He was born with a severe liver shunt which was corrected at UT by Karen Tobias.  After his surgery, he was fostered by Donna Rose in Georgia.  Donna drove up to NC meeting us halfway (we live in Midlothian, Va, just outside Richmond) to bring Gizmo to us.  We kept in touch with Donna and Richard for quite a while, but have since lost touch.  

Gizmo went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning at the age of 15.  He leaves behind a little chihuahua sister, Gadget, and two feline siblings in addition to his human family.  We will miss him dearly. 

A special thanks to YTNR for bringing Gizmo into our lives.

Sincerely, 
Lisa Melton & family




 
"It is eerily terrifying that there is no sound when a heart breaks. Car accidents end with a bang, falling ends with a thud, even writing makes the scratching sound of pencil against paper. But the sound of a heart breaking is completely silent. Almost as though no one, not even the universe itself could create a sound for such devastation. Almost as though silence is the only way the universe could pay its respect to the sound of a heart falling apart."
                                                                              -  Nikita Gill, The Sound of Heartbreak  

 
Looking for a Furever Home

SAY HELLO TO CHLOE
(fostered in Kentucky)


This is Chloe. She came to us the end of May from an animal shelter that could not treat her injuries. She had a broken pelvis on her right side and dislocated left hip. She could barely move and would cry out in pain when she tried. Chloe had surgery to place a plate on her pelvis so it would heal properly and she had a femoral head ostectomy (FHO) on her left hip. Now, after 8 weeks of rest and healing, she is loving life again and looking for a family to call  her own. Chloe is approximately 5 years old and weighs 8.5 pounds. She is a very sweet cuddle bug and can be quite funny with some of her antics. She is cautious of new people but once you get her stamp of approval she will shower you with kisses and soak up all the affection she can get. Chloe gets along well with other dogs and cats. She does not like thunderstorms. Chloe has been vaccinated, spayed, micro-chipped and is heartworm negative. If you would like to add Miss Chloe to your family and give her the wonderful life she deserves, please fill out an adoption application @ www.yorkierescue.com and be sure to put her name on it.

 
Special Thanks to this month's Donors 

 
Thank You to the Many Wonderful & Generous July 
Contributors


General Fund  
Karen and Alan Nakashima for Phoebe
Denise Nelson for Roxy
Ronee Bergman  for Roxy
Kelly DuPlessis  for Phoebe
Karen Roff in memory of PeeWee
Linda Nelson
Anita Hammond Hammitt



 
Yorkie Angel Donors 

Karin & Alan Nakashima*
Kathryn Schuller*
Pieter Vermeulen*
Hannelie Vermeulen*
MaryElizabeth Dugmore*
Bette Gae Dart*
Carla Pucket*
Betty Jo Williams*
Ron & Amalia Spaulding*
Lindsay Hardin*
Stephi Jackson*
Ann Sousa*
Joan Willner**
Roz Carella*
 
* monthly donor




 
We couldn't do it without you...

 
The Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue Inc. is run solely on private donations and fundraising efforts made by people like you who love this Breed. We appreciate your support

We are a 501 (c) (3) organization, your donation is 100% tax deductible.

We would Love your support!

 
Miss Penny Pockets ~ Blast from the past ~ Pawsome Memories!
Mary-Margaret Remembers Nashville 2011

2011 Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue Ball
(See photos at the end of today's diary!)



Good morning, everyone. I'm BAAA-AAAAACK!!! Oh, I feel just like Cinderella must have felt when she woke up missing a shoe. Was it real? Was it a dream? Was I really a princess for a day? Let me start at the beginning of my adventure.

Wednesday - October 12: My spa day. Bubble bath, shampoo, style, blow dry, bow AND play date. Miss Marilyn gave me a goldish orangish and black Halloweenish bow. Who would have thought it would be a perfect match to my ball gown two days later? While I was being pampered and primped, Mom was having a tooth pulled and a temporary bridge put in. She says "pulled" is like saying World War II was a back yard 4th of July celebration, though. I guess when the tooth is out and there's only deep roots left we get into drilling, blasting and tunneling. We don't need to go into detail here...this is about ME, not her!! Back to my adventure.

THURSDAY - wake up, pack, check packing, check house. Turn off air conditioning, check car...and away we go. They remember me at Aladdin parking and give us the top drawer treatment. At the airport, there's a line snaking all the way to Somalia at the Southwest counter so Mom caves in and asks for a wheelchair for the first time in her life. This is way cool, I think. I sit on her lap in my personal car seat and say "Hello!" to everyone I pass. Airports have the nicest people in them, for sure! When a human is in a wheelchair they get a full body pat down, and as I watch from my special vantage point, Mom gets the full Monty. About half-way through she asks her wheel chair driver if the TSA agent speaks English because she can't understand a word the lady says (which is why this is taking so long). The driver says the agent just has a very heavy accent but we still get an interpreter to translate, and things go a lot faster. I think that's the first time Mom got more petting than I did. 

(Note: My water bottle slipped through inspection in San Diego despite all the TSA precautions - we just forgot it was in our stuff. Nashville, on the other hand, didn't even bother giving Mom a pat down when we departed.)

Thursday night - After landing and getting another wheel-chair ride to the Shuttle Shack, and discovering that the phone to the Sheraton isn't working, we luck out and the shuttle shows up anyway. Already I am greeted by lots of Southwest flight attendants, even from the other planes. "Hello! Are you Mary-Margaret?", they ask? I just smile and give them kisses. Southwest has the nicest flight attendants ever. When we get to the hotel, even the desk clerk says "Oh, THIS must be Mary-Margaret!". I'm flattered and my heart is so full of love. I give more kisses. We race to our room, drop off our stuff and race back out the door. We are going to Ruth Chris' Steakhouse in Nashville for Dinner.

Another first for me!! Dinner out with my very best friends, AthenaMaria and AbbeyMia. While the ladies and a couple of men are yakking, we three catch up on stuff that us Yorkettes really care about, like what are we wearing to the Ball. For supper I have the yummiest filet mignon ever. MaryElizabeth tells me it's so nice and tender because it's "prime", not like the stuff we buy in Albertson's or Von's. When we get back to the hotel we stop by MaryElizabeth's room to visit some more. I'm so tired but I don't want to go to bed either. This is the most exciting day ever. 

MaryElizabeth holds out her glass with some golden liquid in it for me to smell and I'm intrigued. My tongue pops out like a Brazilian tree frog and I'm actually having my first taste ever of VSOP cognac. "Yikes", (I say) and scrunch up my face, wrinkle my nose and "blegh" my tongue. It sure doesn't taste like it smells (I say). The ladies get a big giggle over my obvious distress and discomfort and MaryElizabeth offers me another glass of (she says) "water". No thanks - Fool me once, shame on me. But it will be a long time before I stick my tongue into one of YOUR drinks again (I say). She apologizes over and over to me. She feels awful and had no idea I'd actually taste it. Well? This is ME - MARY-MARGARET! Of course, I'm going to try it. "Sheesh!" (I say). A minute or so later I figure I've laid enough guilt on the ladies and I drink about a half glass of water to get rid of that awful taste. Note to self: Lay off the after dinner drinks until you're 21 or maybe forever?.

FRIDAY - Up and at 'em. Mom throws on her t-shirt and shorts, grabs me and AbbeyMia and we go check out the lawn by the back parking lot. MMMM-mmmm! So many smells, so little time. This is amazing! I really don't want to go back in but humans are weird when they don't look "just so" or haven't brushed their teeth yet. On our way back to room 1067, we meet up with some Yorks and Yorkettes going into the "hospitality room". Their parents look pretty much like my Mom, like they just got out of bed, too! We go in and have some breakfast, check out the boutique, and I end up with a new coat, my ball gown, and two new dresses. All proceeds go to the Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue, too. FUN!

At 10:00AM I go to my first educational seminar by Arlene King, World Class Dog Trainer and AKC Judge. I am mesmerized. Her pups "Fergie" and "Sophie" show us what we can learn if we really apply ourselves. After a few minutes I figure "Well, heck! If that's all I have to do to get a treat, I'm in!", and I hop down and over to Arlene. Mom's yelling in a loud whisper - "Get back here, Mary-Margaret!" and I think....Treat? Or Mom? Give me a break - no contest there - and I keep going. Lucky for me Arlene is so nice and generous. I end up with a few munchies in my tummy before I go back to the sidelines.

We go back to the Hospitality Room for some sandwiches before moving on to the next seminar - "T Touch" (Tellington Touch), by Penny Case. It's like a soothing, healing holistic approach to health and happiness. It works on humans, too, if you want to know. Mom listens and I get the benefits. Ahhhhhhh!! I can live with this. 
The "Hamburger Hop" is at 6:00PM. I'm asked to deliver a blessing. 

Considering my Mom gets stage fright and I need her to translate, I'm lucky she didn't really butcher what I was trying to say - just a word or two got jumbled, but generally she got the point across, I guess. I get to visit with my friends and the humans yak while having dinner. Mom snuck me a burger of my own which I enjoyed quietly under the table. After dinner, there is a "Best Photo" and "Best Costume" contest - we didn't enter, but we definitely enjoyed the show. My good friends Ashley and Kung Fu Kori tied for best photo with another pup I don't know. Muppet and Dixie dressed up as Dr. Seuss' "Thing #1" and "Thing #2" and they won first place in the Costume contest. (see pictures below)

After the contests we had the Fashion Show. There were some absolutely gorgeous outfits there, most (if not all) made by Corrine Ellison, a pup's answer to Vera Wang. In addition to gowns, there were pups in tuxedos, and the highlight of the show was Reme in her 2011 Wedding Gown with removable train (for dancing). She was the most beautiful bride I've ever seen.


SATURDAY - Up and out to the back parking lot, then to the hospitality suite for some breakfast. At 10:00AM we are downstairs and I'm taking the Canine equivalent of the SAT. What? Huh? I didn't even study (I say). Mom's telling me to just watch and pay attention and I'll do just fine. Oh, Lordy (I say)....and I spend the next five minutes watching AthenaMaria, taking notes, and praying. When it's my turn I go through my paces - sit, stop, down, heel, left turn, right turn, about face....oh, I can't remember it all. But I must have had an angel on my shoulder. I got it all right and I PASSED!!! I got an "A". Here's what I was graded on:

1) Accepting a friendly stranger; 2) Sitting politely for petting; 3) Appearance and grooming; 4) Out for a walk; 5) Walking through a crowd; 6) Sit and down on command/Staying in place; 7) coming when called; 8) Reaction to another dog; 9) Reaction to distractions; 10) Supervised separation (3 minutes) - I PASSED THEM ALL!! I think I will ask Mom to frame my certificate and hang it up in our office when I get it.

At 1:00PM we went to Rosemarie Cunningham's Grooming and Wrapping seminar. There's a lot to know about grooming and pawdicures and stuff. Most of the pups with really long hair got all involved. Me? Oh, well by this time it was nap time and all I wanted was a comfy place to lay down. I saw a possibility over by the water table and took full advantage. Pulling the table cloth corner down a bit, I scrunched it up and made a bed. We Yorkettes can be creative in a pinch! 


THE BALL

Finally - the highlight of a Yorkie's social calendar - the Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue Ball. Everyone was dressed to the teeth! 
I wore my gold lame' gown and mingled with the other pups. 

I was asked to give the blessing again. Mom did her best, but she was glad to sit down again. I need to work with her some more on this. Neeko (our Assistant Pastor at Chapel) and I shared some alone time but he's really more a ladies' man and his dance card was full. His brother, Ray - a handsome long haired surfer type pup - was paying a lot of attention to me. 

I didn't mind it until he got a bit aggressive and I had to tell him that "I'm NOT that type of girl!". He apologized and said he respected me for that, and the rest of the evening went well. 

For dinner, I had the best ever chicken breast (under the table again, though). After dinner there were some awards and entertainment.

My very good friend "Jilli Dog" and her human, Rick Caran, put on a show with Jilli's sister Ruby and her brother, Spidey (a chihuahua). Jilli and Ruby are the only poker playing pups I've ever met. Ruby can count money, too. Jilli is a published author and did a book signing after the show. I now have a personalized autographed copy of "Jilli Dog, The Little Dog That Made Mr Kranby Smile". I can count Jilli and Ruby as two of my VERY GOOD FRIENDS now, too!


DAN DUGMORE FAMILY BAND

We wound up the evening with some good old down home country music. Mom bounced me on her knee and I really enjoyed the band. Dan Dugmore is the winner of many awards including the ACM 2011 award for best Steel Guitar player of the Year.


Karen Dugmore, Danny Dugmore, Adam Dugmore all played with him in the band, along with some other very talented people. I wish my mom had written down their names (like I asked her to) but who listens to me? They are all accomplished musicians, especially little Adam who blew me away with his drums. I rocked out to the music until it was time to go to bed. 
That's Rick Caran holding Ruby and Jilli Dog in the front of the band.




I didn't want the evening to end. This was the very best weekend of my entire life. I will never forget it. Thank you to all the good humans that made this possible for me, but most especially to MaryElizabeth Dugmore, the magic lady that makes it all happen for us Yorksters and Yorkettes. Because of her and the good deeds of Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue so many of us have found our "forever" homes; so many indigent pups have had medical treatment that has allowed them to live the best lives possible; and so many humans and pups now share lasting and unconditional love.


Love,

Mary-Margaret O'Brien

PS - The entire weekend including the Ball was live-streamed over the internet. There were people all over the world, including Australia and England who watched it. We were told this was the largest, most successful ball we've ever had.


(TH...TH....THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!!"








Love and schlurps - 

Penny Pockets



 
Q & A on  Immunizations

Q: I took Braylee to the vet Friday for his annual visit. He's in great shape, approx 7 years old and weighs right at 10#. Vet gave him 3 immunizations: Rabies Zoestis Defensor 1Year Vaccine, DA2 Yearly Zoestis Vanguard 5, (shots in each back leg with smallest needle available) and Bortadella (oral). Ever since he's been lethargic, shows no interest in anything other than sleeping, refuses to jump on the couch by himself (he's a jumping jack) and I almost have to drag him for our walks. There are no lumps at the injection sites. He's eating and drinking and all his plumbing parts are working. Any ideas as to what's going on with him?  I intend to talk to vet on Monday if he doesn't perk up. 

Thanks!!!
Nancy

 
A: Nancy,

I learned the hard way the potential dangers of immunizations. Shortly after giving my tiny Yorkie Crissey Marie, her annual shots several years ago, she began to have seizures and started circling. To make a long story shorter, she was diagnosed with the neurological condition of Canine Encephalitis. (There is a Yorkie Necrotizing Encephalitis-YNE, Pug Dog Encephalitis-PDE, and a general condition called GME-Granulomatous Meningoenchephalitis). 

After doing TONS of research and communicating with LOTS of other pet owners and vets, I learned that in some animals, vaccines can trigger an auto-immune response, particularly when given several vaccines at once. Basically, when given a vaccine (be it human or animal), our bodies "ramp up" to fight the "invaders" and that is how we develop the antibodies that fight that particular disease. 

But if we take too many vaccines at once, our bodies try to fight too many things at once. The immune system becomes overwhelmed and begins to attack itself. When that happens, we can develop an auto-immune disorder like Encephalitis. 

In a normal situation, none of us-or our pets, would encounter all these diseases at the same time. So our bodies do not need to try to fight them all at once. However, the pharmaceutical companies do not make all the vaccines available individually. The DHP is almost always combined (Distemper, Parvo, and Hepatitis). So your dog gets 3 vaccines-in-one at a minimum. 

Cal Davis and Colorado State Universities have recently changed their vaccine protocols and recommend every 3 years for most adult vaccines. And I have been told that not only do most dogs NOT need every vaccine even every 3 years, but that the vaccines they receive at 3 years are the same dosage they get if they take one-year vaccines!

So annual vaccines are over-vaccinating our pets in most cases. 

After Crissey Marie's diagnosis, the University of Georgia's Neurological Veterinary department wrote me an exemption for her to NEVER be vaccinated again. I put her on a raw diet with immune system supportive supplements, and she lived another 4 years, however her symptoms were still apparent. That experience taught me to be very careful about vaccinations after the first year of a dog's life. Some veterinarians think they can go 6-8 years between vaccinations. 

Going forward I would recommend:

1. Do your own research
2. Talk to your vet or find a holistic, open-minded one
3. At a MAXIMUM-ONLY give vaccines every few years, and DON'T EVER give them all at once

Most states have changed their laws and the only required vaccine is Rabies-every 3 years. But you don't have to give them anything else. 

My vet gives me card, updated every year, to say that my dog is "current" on all vaccines, and that is all I need for groomers, hotels, etc. That doesn't mean the dog just had vaccines. It means it doesn't need any. That's an important distinction. You may have to conform to your state's law regarding rabies, but you don't have to vaccinate for anything else, unless it is absolutely necessary.

ALSO-ALL vaccines say that they can ONLY be given to HEALTHY animals. That means that if your dog had a negative reaction, or has allergies, or ANY other condition, you can demand that they NOT be vaccinated. And your vet can give you a waiver if you need one. Or, like mine, a card saying they are "current." 

I learned that sadly, veterinary schools are subsidized by pharmaceutical and pet-food companies. Therefore, many vets come out of school with a bias toward vaccinations and certain brands of pet food. They are often taught that these are good for your pets. And once they go into practice, these become sources of revenue for them. 

Increasingly however, vets are learning that there are options for both. Raw, grain-free, species-appropriate, and natural diets for nutrition have become more mainstream. Limited vaccines, titers, etc., is becoming more accepted by mainstream veterinarians as well. 

As for Braylee, my advice is to get him to a natural vet as soon as possible to support his immune system. He will probably bounce back this time, but seriously consider what (if anything) he needs in the way of vaccines in the future. His negative response this time is enough to support limited vaccines going forward, or elimination altogether, based on his exposure risks, titers levels, etc. 

I'm not a doctor, but you need to talk to one that carefully weighs the risks/benefits of further vaccinations. I no longer agree with mandatory annual vaccines for all pets. 

I'm happy to discuss further if you want more information. 

Love and health,

Deborah



 
Supermodel Athena Maria Aphrodite
The Goddess of Wisdom and Love.....   



Did you know?
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you 
more  than you love yourself."  ~ Josh Billings

                                                                                                

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy & Safe Summer!


  
Sunny days are here again by Hannelie Vermeulen


I moved to Oregon 20+ years ago, and initially missed the heat.  Over the years I got spoiled by the mild NW weather. We're currently planning for some "extreme weather" for OR, days of close to, and over, 100 degrees.  That has me planning for myself and my critters, and thought I'll share some of the ideas:
  • As humans we are encouraged to drink more water.  Be sure to have lots of cool fresh water available for your dogs and other animals too. I often add ice cubes to make their water cooler, or just give them ice cubes to play with or lick.
  • As you dig into the freezer for some ice cream, consider making frozen doggie treats for your canine companion. I sometimes freeze treats in Kongs, or in ice cube trays. Keeps them busy for a while.
  • Stay out of the sun if you can, and keep your animals in the shade with you too. When you go inside, take them with you. If you have an air conditioner, make sure it stays on cool for your animals when you leave the home. While away from home, I check my Nest on my phone on hot (and cold) days, to make sure my house stays at a good temperature. Outside, consider placing a doggie pool with cool water in the shade, or turn a sprinkler on to help them cool down. My little angel, Eloise, used to have so much fun attacking it, that it served a double function.
  • If you have tile/granite floors in your home, it can provide cool relief - but outside consider spraying them down intermittently throughout the day -it breaks the heat, and it's easier for those little paws to walk over it when it's cooled down.
  • Consider getting little socks or boots if you walk your dogs on a hot day, and of course, walk then during the coolest part of your day. Don't walk them on hot asphalt.  If it's too hot you're your bare feet, it's too hot for theirs. Take water with you, should they need some on the way, and especially so if they jog with you.
  • Be careful of strenuous activities - slow down on hot days, and make sure your animals slow down with you.  Be especially careful with older and ill dogs, they have a more difficult time keeping their body temperatures regulated.
  • Just like we enjoy a shower on a hot day, your little dog may enjoy a cool bath. Also, those of us with long hair, often wear it up, or even shorter, in the summer.  Your little dog will also get some heat relief from being groomed.
  • NEVER leave a dog, a child, an older person, or anyone/any animal, in a hot vehicle. Not even for a short period. Not even with windows cracked or partially open.  Temperatures can rise dangerously fast, and can lead to death.
Most of all, take care of yourself and those you love, and keep an eye out for any person or animal who needs assistance during the heat waves across the country.




Neeko Red
Neeko's Joke

"Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on Interstate 90, Please be careful!"
Herman said, "It's not just one car. There's hundreds of them!"




Love and Smooches,  
Neeko :o)                                                      

                                
Many Thanks to Lifeline4Paws   


 

Every time we remember to say "thank you", 
we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.  
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach


 


 

Chris Hogan, 
Executive Vice President 
of the Hogan Family Foundation Inc, 
is the  Program Director of Lifeline-4-Paws.
 She is a YTNR member  and has generously supported 
our rescue efforts, contributing  tens of thousands of dollars 
to over 120 of our dogs since 2007.